Colorado governor allowing all adults to get vaccine boosters

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) has signed an executive order allowing any resident 18 years of age or older to get COVID-19 vaccine booster shots. 

The order, enacted on Thursday, will require vaccine providers to provide shots to any adult who received their Pfizer or Moderna shots six months prior, or two months prior for those who got a single Johnson & Johnson shot. 

Booster shots were already made available for Colorado residents 65 years of age and older, those with special medical conditions and those at a high risk of exposure of getting the virus — in line with federal recommendations. 

Colorado announced Tuesday that it was implementing crisis standards of care in its health care system, as almost 40 percent of hospitals expect shortages within the next week, according to state data.

Polis emphasized that vaccinations are a major tool in the fight against the latest surge of the virus, which state officials worry could overwhelm hospitals by year’s end. 

State epidemiologist Rachel Herlihy said on Wednesday that Colorado could hit 2,258 COVID-19 hospitalizations by Jan. 1, a new pandemic high, the Associated Press reported. 

About 1,426 COVID-19 patients are currently hospitalized in the state, the AP noted.

According to data from Colorado Hospital Association, roughly 720 beds are left in intensive care and acute care units due to the delta variant surge and hospital staffing shortages.